January 31, 2013

FLAGSHIP FLASH:

Michael Kors Adds Menswear To His Biggest Store Coming In SoHo

We thought that that the high profile store Michael Kors opened in Rockefeller Center a couple of years ago was mean to be the designer's number one flagship location, but it turns out he has had bigger things in mind. Kors' upcoming sixth (sixth!) store in Manhattan will more than double the size at 17,000 square feet, finally giving him enough room to include his men's collection which will get its own floor. We already knew that Kors is taking over the Club Monaco spot next to Aritzia at 520 Broadway just below Spring Street, but judging from the description in today's WWD and the rendering pictured above, he will be adding an entire second floor to the space which reportedly will house the largest selection ever of his moderately priced, MICHAEL Michael Kors label. The main floor will house his accessories, and men's will live on the "concourse" level (downstairs?). Kors CEO John Idol tells WWD, “This is the first opportunity for us to present the men’s collection in
a complete format, featuring tailored clothing, shirts, ties,
sportswear and accessories, in one of our stores,” and adds that the men's collection, though shown on the runway with the Women's main collection for years, is still taking shape.

As for the original SoHo Kors lifestyle boutique a few blocks away on Prince Street, next to the Apple Store, it will remain open, but shift its focus to the higher end women's Collection line, echoing the Collection boutique on Madison Avenue, and giving all of Michael Kors' product lines full representation in the SoHo neighborhood. With the new location, the designer's Manhattan store count will rival that of Big Cheese Ralph Lauren who currently has seven stores in the borough for various lines after the shuttering of the Rugby stores. Ralph may yet pull ahead, as he is rumoured to have his eye on a big chunk of the former Disney store on Fifth Avenue —not that we would ever suggest that these designers are competitive with each other in any way.